The desirability of rapid burning propellant compositions for rocket and ordnance projections is well established. Burning rate catalysts have long been employed to achieve rapid burning propellant compositions. Examples of prior art acceleration burning rate catalysts are ferric oxide and copper chromite. Compounds of the ferrocene type have also been used as acceleration burning rate catalysts. Examples are ferrocene, normal-butylferrocene and a wide variety of other ferrocene compounds. Other compounds and compositions, such as decaborane, alkyldecaboranes mixtures such as HEF-3 (consisting on a weight basis of 67% monoethyldecaborane, 26% diethyldecaborane, 2.5% triethyldecaborane, and 4.5% decaborane), and isopropenylcarborane have also been employed as catalysts for use in propellant compositions. For further information about the use of the above type compounds refer to U.S. Pat. No. 3,386,869.
Thus, a constant need exists in solid propellant rocketry for continued improvement to fuels, binders, processing aids, and catalysts to promote burning. This invention is concerned with a means for increasing the burning rate of the propellant composition, and particularly, the catalyst which provides the means.
An object of this invention is to provide a novel acceleration burning rate catalyst for use in a propellant composition.
A particular object of this invention is to provide such a catalyst of the ferrocene type combined in a carborane compound.